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Our successful 98th State Nationals Conference in Benalla highlighted the important role rural and regional Victoria plays in the State’s future.

Press Releases

Ryan welcomes $750,000 boost for two local rural health services

Friday, June 06, 2014

Deputy Premier and Member for Gippsland South Peter Ryan welcomed a $750,000 boost for the Sale and Foster hospitals, funded through the Victorian Coalition Government’s $5 million Rural Capital Support Fund.

Victorian Health Minister David Davis recently announced that 26 rural health services throughout Victoria would receive a Rural Capital Support Fund grant, including the Central Gippsland Health Service at Sale and the South Gippsland Hospital at Foster.

Mr Ryan said the South Gippsland Hospital would receive $280,000 to fund upgrades to the nurses’ station and medication room, and an expansion of the Urgent Care Department.

“The nurses’ station and medication room infrastructure pose considerable risk to both patients and staff as the area does not meet contemporary building or health care standards,” Mr Ryan said.

“The nurses’ station will be redesigned to provide improved access to the urgent care department and the floor will be restumped to remove an existing OH&S issue relating to a trip hazard from an uneven floor.

“The medication room will be increased in size from four square metres to nine square metres to accommodate two staff members and allow for a medication preparation area, a larger drug safe, a larger drug fridge and for ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ sinks as per current health standards.

“The Urgent Care Department will be expanded by 12 square metres to accommodate an additional treatment bed and larger storage area for equipment.”

Mr Ryan said the Central Gippsland Health Service would receive $470,000 to redevelop centralised intake and patient services.

“The funding will be used to redevelop an area in the hospital that is currently comprised of a redundant dental services area, an existing outpatient services area and a section of the existing medical imaging reception and administration.” Mr Ryan said.

Mr Ryan said other Gippsland-based rural health services would also receive funding through the program, including Bass Coast Regional Health, which would receive $1.19 million to redevelop the Public Dental Clinic at Wonthaggi, and Bairnsdale Regional Health Service, which would receive $70,000 to fund a fit-out of the on-site GP practice and replace the existing aged suction equipment at its dental clinic.

“The Victorian Coalition Government is committed to improving the Victorian health system so that Victoria’s rural and regional areas have access to the best possible health care,” Mr Ryan said.